


Another Sex Scandel Averted

by Katybug1992



Series: Inspired by West Wing [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Eleanor is Donna, Everyone is an alpha, Except Harry who is an Omega, Harry is CJ, James is Bartlett, Liam is Toby, Louis is Josh, Niall is Sam, Nick is Danny, One Direction Meets West Wing, Pre-Relationship, Stephan is Leo, louis has a crush on harry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-10-22 09:04:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10693809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katybug1992/pseuds/Katybug1992
Summary: Niall accidentally sleeps with a call girl and he, Liam, and Louis attempt to keep this fact from Harry, hoping that it will just blow over and there will be no need to involve him.





	Another Sex Scandel Averted

**Author's Note:**

> Heavily inspired by "The West Wing". The quotes used from the show come from Season One, Episode Two ("Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc") and Episode Three ("A Proportional Response")

Niall Horan, Deputy Communications Director for President Cordon, bit at his thumb nail trying to work up the correct wording, and courage, to inform Louis Tomlinson, the Deputy Chief of Staff, what had been on his mind for the past week. He was sure the older man knew something had been troubling him. 

Taking a deep breath and steeling himself, he walking into Louis’ office, “Hey, you got a minute?”

Louis looked up and grinned, picking up up his tea, he said, “What’s on your mind?”

“Last week, I was out for a late drink, and I met this woman named Laurie, and Laurie and I hit it off, and we spent the evening together back at her place, and the next day I discovered she was a call girl.” Niall rushed out, subtly leaning away from Louis.

Louis instantly regretted taking a drink and, after some difficulty swallowing the liquid, he choked out, “Niall?”

“Yeah?” Niall asked wearily.

“Do you want to, maybe, close the door?” Louis replied, still processing but making it clear that it wasn’t a suggestion.

“Yeah.” Niall nodded, hastily complying.

 

After a beat, Louis staring down Niall, “You slept with a call girl?”

“Well, no, I…” Niall struggled to respond before nodding, “Well, yes. Yes, I did.”

“Did she know who are?” Louis asked, standing up.

“No, I didn’t reveal my secret identity, Louis.” Niall snarked back with a scoff.

“I’m asking some questions here.” Louis replied with an equal amount of snark.

“Yes,” Niall sighed, “She knows I work for the President.”

“You don’t think that she--” Louis tried to ask.

“No.” Niall interrupted.

“Let me finish--” Louis tried to continue in a warning tone.

“No, I’m saying no,” Niall’s voice was forceful, “She wouldn’t say anything.”

“How do you know?” Louis challenged.

“I know.” Niall’s voice was earnest.

“HOW do you know?” Louis’ voice more forceful.

“I know.” Niall repeated with more conviction.

Realization dawned on Louis and he sighed, leaning against his desk, “You want to call her again, don’t you.”

“Look, I really like her,” Niall took a step closer, “and she’s not what you think.”

“The only thing I know about her is she’s a call girl.” Louis raised an eyebrow, “Is she a call girl?”

Niall nodded shortly, “Yes.”

“Then so far she’s exactly what I think.” Louis replied.

“I just think I left abruptly.” Niall defended, “I think it was rude.”

“Oh,” Louis groaned, “you’re gonna try and reform her, aren’t you?”

“No.” Niall shook his head quickly.

“You are.” Louis stood up again and took a step closer.

“I just didn’t say a proper goodboy that, you know, shows a little respect.” Niall responded, sticking his hands in the pockets of his trousers.

“Niall…” Louis sighed.

“You know what,” Niall took another step closer, “you’d like her if you met her, Louis.”

Louis’ voice was tight as he said, “You got to promise me that is never gonna happen, Niall.”

The conversation paused when there was a knock on the door before Eleanor, Louis assistant, poked her head into the office.

“Yes?” Josh asked.

“You’re with the Energy Secretary in five minutes.” Eleanor replied.

“Thanks.” Louis nodded, turning back to Niall.

“What’s going on?” Eleanor pressed.

“Nothing.” Louis shook his head.

“Really?” Eleanor gave Louis a skeptical look.

“Yes.” Louis’ response was slightly more frantic.

“You’re lying?” Eleanor more stated than questioned.

“Yes.” Louis all but yelled.

“So I should get out?”

“Yes.” Louis replied, voice going slightly squeaky. Once the door was shut, he turned back to Niall, his voice returning to normal, “Look, whatever quest--”

“It’s not a quest.” Niall interrupted to defend himself.

“Whatever,” Louis rolled his eyes, “You’re playing with fire here. Just talk to Liam before you do anything.”

“Liam?” Niall looked slightly worried about consulting with the Communications Director.

“Yes.” Louis nodded.

“There’s no way I can do this without talking to Liam?” Niall tried.

“No,” Louis shook his head. Opening the door, he saw Harry, the Press Secretary and the only Omega on the senior staff (the first Omega hired to be on the President’s Senior Staff  
in history), walk by and remembering that he needed to address the remarks made by Congressman Willis that Harry would definitely be asked about in the press briefing, calling out, “Oh! Oh! Hang on there, Harry!”

Turning to Niall as he pulled his suit jacket on, he said, “Just talk to Liam. Just Liam.”

“All right.” Niall nodded.

Louis nodded in response before chasing after Harry, proceeding to fill him in and sprinkle in some light flirting on the way to the Press Room, where Louis left him and headed off to his meeting.

The day seemed to pass quickly. Niall had finished the speech he had been working on, Louis had beaten the Energy Secretary into submission, and Harry had dazzled the Press Room in a way that only he could while at the same time maintaining full control. Even Liam appeared to be in a pretty good mood, as he always was when Harry exceeded the expectations of his Omega status. So, Niall thought that it would be a good time to approach Liam about Laurie.

“Hey, you got a minute?” Niall asked knocking on the doorframe. When Liam nodded, Niall stepped inside and shut the door, taking a seat in front of Liam’s desk, “About a week ago, I accidentally slept with a prostitute.

Liam stopped typing and slowly looked up, hoping his deputy was only trying to get his attention and the real issue was something less concerning, “Really?”

“Yes.” Niall nodded, squirming slightly under Liam’s gaze.

“You accidentally slept with a prostitute?” Liam’s voice raised slightly.

“Call girl.” Niall corrected in a small voice.

“Accidentally?” Liam raised an eyebrow, disbelief crossing his face.

“Yes.” Niall nodded after slight hesitation, knowing how bad it sounded.

“I don’t understand.” Liam pushed his chair back and stood up, “Did you trip over something?”

“I did not know she was a call girl.” Niall pointed out immediately.

“There wasn’t a red flag when she charged you money in exchange for sex?” Liam exclaimed, purposefully keeping control of his voice so that they would not be overheard.

“She didn’t charge me, Liam, come on…” Niall rolled his eyes, “I didn’t find out about it ‘til the next day.”

“Where did you meet her?” Liam’s voice was low and his eyes were hard.

“The Four Seasons.” Niall replied without pause.

“Did anyone see you?” Liam pressed.

“No.” Niall shook his head.

“You’re sure?” Liam gave Niall a hard look.

“Yes.” Niall nodded, pausing before continuing, “although I was with Ben for a time.”

“Ben who?” Liam pressed, voice taking on a hard edge.

“Winston.” Niall’s voice was softer under Liam’s hard gaze.

“Ben Winston…” Liam grounded out.

“Yes.” Niall nodded, not looking at Liam.  
“....of the Wall Street Journal!?” Liam’s voice raised again. Taking another deep breath he tried to rein in his temper.

“He sat to talk to me about Louis.” Niall elaborated, “It was during the whole Simon Cowell thing, but her got up and left well before…”

“Before you picked up a hooker.” Liam finished the thought.

“Call girl.” Niall corrected.

“Well,” Liam drawled, “that’s a distinction that’s gonna be very important to the Grand Jury.”

“I haven’t broken any laws.” Niall shot back.

Liam sighed, putting his head in his hands, “Who else knows about this?”

“Louis.” Niall replied.

“And who else?” Liam pressed.

“That’s it.” Niall replied with a shake of his head.

“So, it’s just me, you, the hooker, the President’s Deputy Chief of Staff, and The Wall Street Journal!” Liam fired back, voice getting more and more frantic, standing up and walking around the desk.

“You know what, Liam?” Niall fired back, standing up as well, “She’s not a hooker.”

Realization dawned on Liam’s face, “Hang on a second, Niall.”

“I’d like to call her, just to say we can be friends.” Niall defended himself, voice going softer, “I don’t see the danger in that…”

“No, no, Niall, no,” Liam groaned, rubbing his forehead, “You’re going to try and reform her?”

“No.” Niall tried to deny.

“I think you are.” Liam huffed out a laugh.

“I think she shouldn’t have to feel like trash because I have a job where adults aren’t given the benefit of the doubt.” Niall defended himself.

Liam sighed, “We’ll talk more about this later. I have a meeting with the Treasury Secretary in five minutes that I can’t be late to, no matter how much I would love to cancel.”

With that Niall and Liam left the office, Niall heading into his own to start working on the next draft of the speech he finished earlier.

The topic was dropped until it was time for the senior staff meeting. Niall followed Liam to Louis’ office and the three of them headed to Stephan’s, the Chief of Staff for the Cordon administration, office.

“Did you know about this?” Liam muttered to Louis as they walked down the well-worn path as Louis finished off the sandwich that he had had Eleanor pick up from the Mess three hours earlier.

“Know about what?” Louis replied, mouth full and causing Liam to grimace in disgust.

“With him.” Liam replied, gesturing back at Niall.

“Yes.” Louis nodded, keeping his voice low.

“And you’re not concerned?” Liam gave him an incredulous look.

“Who among us hasn’t known forbidden love, Liam?” Louis grinned back, “Why Spring Break alone…”

“I was going to say--” Niall went to interject.

“This administration doesn’t even need an opposition party, do you know that?” Liam put his hand up, “We do fine by ourselves.”

“Niall,” Louis turned back to Niall, “just don’t do anything stupid, okay?”

“Yeah.” Niall nodded.

“Also,” Liam interjected, “We want to keep this off Harry’s desk. Right now, it’s not a thing. If Harry finds out, then it will become a thing.”

The other two nodded, neither wanting to face the wrath of Harry if he found out, and Louis opened the door of the office and immediately headed over to the aforementioned  
Omega and picked up his flirting where he had left off that morning.

The next morning, Louis made his way to his office a little ahead of schedule this morning and was pondering what he would do with his little bit of extra time as he sipped his tea.

“Harry’s looking for you.” Eleanor said in greeting, looking down at her phone, meeting him at the entrance of the West Wing.

“Huh?” Louis replied, his tea having not kicked in yet.

“Harry’s looking for you.” Eleanor repeated, still not looking up, walking with him as he continued on his way.

“Eleanor?” Louis asked, getting his assistant to finally look up at him.

“Yes?” she asked.

“‘Good morning, Louis’, is a pretty good way to start the day.” Louis replied.

“Good morning.” Eleanor nodded.

“What’s up?” Louis asked, remember she had been trying to tell him something when he got to the office.

“Harry’s looking for you.” Eleanor replied.

“Tell him I’m in my office.” Louis replied.

“Louis,” Eleanor’s voice took on an edge to it, “I’m saying Harry is looking for you.”

Louis instantly froze, frantically trying to think, “What did I do?”

“How would I know?” Eleanor fired back, coming to a stop as well.

“‘Cause you know everything!” Louis exclaimed.

Eleanor nodded in response, “I do know everything.”

“Eleanor…” Louis sighed.

“I’m saying you say that now, but everytime I want to make a substantive contribution…” Eleanor pressed forward.

“You make plenty of substantive contributions.” Louis replied.

“Like what?” Eleanor raised an eyebrow.

“This!” Louis responded, “This could be a substantive contribution.”

“I need a raise.” Eleanor responded.

“So do I!” Louis shot back as they continued walking again.

“You’re my boss.” Eleanor continued like he didn’t interrupt her, something she was very used to since she had been his assistant since the campaign.

“Do-” Louis really wished the tea would kick in now, “but I’m not the one who pays you.”

“Yeah.” Eleanor acknowledged, nodding her head, “but you could recommend that I get a raise.”

“Eleanor, he’s looking for me.” Louis tried not to let his nerves show, “Do you really think this is the best time to talk about a raise.”

“Hmmm,” Eleanor hummed with a smile, “I think this is the best time to talk about a raise.”

“Eleanor,” Louis sighed, “you are not a very nice person.

“You got to get to know me.” Eleanor grinned.

“Eleanor?” Louis all but whined.

Eleanor sighed before saying, “The best I can cobble together from the small shards of information I’ve been able to overhear in the restroom and the Danish cart--”

“Eleanor…” Louis definitely whined.

“Is it possible that there’s a situation involving Niall, a woman, and Harry being denied information about something?” Eleanor posed, looking over at Louis who’s eyes were wide and who was frozen in spot.

“Okay.” Louis took a deep breath, running his hands over his face and trying to gather his thoughts, “Here’s what I’m gonna do.”

“Hide in your office?” Eleanor suggested.

“No. I’m not going to hide in my office.” Louis replied, giving Eleanor a look, “I’m gonna go into my office and devise a strategy. That is what I do. I’m a professional. I’m not a  
little boy.”

“Hmm,” Eleanor hummed, nodding her head, “That’s the spirit.”

“But if she calls, I’m at the dentist. I’ll be back in an hour.” Louis added, hand on the door handle to his office.

“Got it.” Eleanor nodded.

With her agreement, Louis opened the door to to his office and entered, letting out a scream when he saw Harry sitting at his desk reading the newspaper.

“Wow, are you stupid!” Harry greeted, looking furious.

Louis scrambled to close his door before turning to face Harry, “You can’t be mad at me about this, Harry.”

“Really?!” Harry responded, eyes flashing dangerously, “Let’s see if I can. Let’s see if I can find it in me.”

Eleanor opened to door and looked at Harry in shock before turning to Louis, “Wait, he was here?”

“Could you excuse us, Eleanor?” Harry asked sweetly, smile and everything.

“How did I miss that?” Eleanor replied, almost in awe.

“I don’t know,” Louis replied, “but you can kiss that raise goodbye.”

“Senior staff in five minutes.” Eleanor replied.

“Thanks.” Louis nodded, shutting the door again and bracing himself for Harry’s temper.

“A call girl?!” Harry exclaimed as soon as the door was shut, staring Louis down.

“Here’s the thing…” Louis tried to defend Niall and the decision to keep Harry out of the loop.

“A call girl, Louis!?” Harry pressed on.

“You’re not asking me if I’d like a call girl right now, are you?” Louis tried to be funny.

Harry rolled his eyes and glared, “Do you have any idea how serious this is?”

“See, the thing is, I really don’t think it is that serious.” Louis replied and had to force himself not to flinch at the look he got in return.

“Really?” Harry scoffed.

“A couple of things.for you to bear in mind,” Louis elaborated quickly, “He didn’t know she was a call girl when he went home with her. He didn’t pay her money. He didn’t have  
knowledge of, witness, or participate in anything illegal. Or, for that matter, unethical, immoral, or suspect.”

“A couple of things for you to bear in mind,” Harry shot back, “None of that matters on Hard Copy!!”

“You’re overreacting.” Louis scoffed.

“Am I?” Harry replied, starting to move toward Louis.

“Yes.” Louis nodded, beginning to realize he was digging himself a hole

“As Omegas are prone to do?” Harry glared at the shorter man.

“That’s not what I meant.” Louis replied, stepping forward until they were face to face.

Harry scoffed, “That’s always what you mean.”

“I really think I’m the best judge of what I mean, you paranoid Berkeley Shiksta feminista!” Louis fired back before processing what he just said. After a beat he said, “That was  
way too far.”

“No, no. Well, I’ve got a staff meeting to go to and so do you,” Harry waved it off, his voice light but getting harder with every word, picking up the materials he would need for the meeting and turning back to face the shorter male, “you elitist, Harvard fascist, missed-the-Dean’s-list-two-semesters-in-a-row, Yankee jackass!”

Louis was silent for a moment before saying, “Feel better getting that off your chest there, Harry?”

“I’m a whole new person.” Harry grinned, eyes still narrowed at Louis.

“You look like a million bucks by the way.” Louis grinned hopefully at Harry, opening the door for him.

“Don’t try to make up to me.” Harry fired back.

Louis nodded in response before saying, “I’ll talk to Niall.”

“I’LL talk to Niall.” Harry responded forcefully.  
They exited the office and Louis hurried to catch up with Liam when he noticed that Harry had stopped by his own office.

“Just a heads up,” Louis muttered, grabbing Liam’s shoulder, “don’t let Harry catch you.”

“He knows?” Liam tried not to sound frantic.

“Yes, I'm afraid I have that information now.” Harry spoke, coming up behind the two silently. Turning to Liam, he added, “And I'll be in to see you very shortly my friend.”

“How the hell did I get into trouble?” Liam asked bewildered, glaring at Louis.

“Today, all you had to do was get out of bed.” Louis grumbled in reply.

Louis tried to send a smile to Harry as they entered the room, but Harry ignored him and moved to stand across the room, away from Louis, Liam, and Niall and flatly ignoring all of them throughout the meeting.

“Harry,” Stephan turned to address the Omega, “It’s going to be an intentionally slow news day, keep the press distracted. We have a number of things that will be dumped on them tomorrow that we don’t need full individual columns written on or discussed.”

“Trash day tomorrow, got it.” Harry nodded, making a note, “What is the story we want to lead with and keep in focus today?”

“Congressman Wyatt’s affairs.” Stephan responded.

“And how the President is strongly urging him to step down from the Ways and Means committee.” Harry nodded, writing that down as well.

“Also, the First Family’s plans to visit Boston and the Kennedy Compound to pay tribute to the contributions that the Kennedy family made to this this country and the Democratic  
party.” Stephan added, causing Harry’s head to snap up at the mention of his family.

“Won’t that be seen as--” Harry tried to interject.

“You’re family contributed a lot to Democratic politics, including some pretty great leaders. You possess that same ability to command a room and the President was honored to  
have had you as his PR expert on the campaign trail and is even more honored to have you as his Press Secretary now.” Stephan replied with a gentle smile, “He brought you on because of your talents, not your mother’s maiden name. And it is widely acknowledged by historians that Kennedy was one of the best Presidents that we have had in modern times. It’s only logically that while on a vacation to Massachusetts, the Democratic President, who many in the Kennedy family came out to show their support for, would want to take the time to pay tribute to the family.”

Harry nodded and the Senior Staff left the office. Passing Niall, Harry lightly called over his shoulder, “Oh, Niall, could you stop by my office around lunchtime, please?”

“Sure.” Niall replied, with a nod before turning to Liam, “Think he knows?”

“Yeah.” Liam replied distractedly, looking down at the file Stephan had given him.

“Why?” Niall asked nervously.

“‘Cause he told me he knows.” Liam looked up at him.

“Could we talk for a moment?” Niall was on the verge of panicking.

“Yeah, my office.” Liam nodded, heading toward Louis’ office with the file, “I'll be right back.”

 

After having a ten minute argument with Louis over whether or not they should finagle a way to try and pressure the FEC to accept two nominees who support Campaign Finance Reform, and another ten minutes of Louis yelling at Liam about why he shouldn’t try and blackmail one of the Senators to vote the way they want them to in regards to the gun control bill, Liam was back in his office and trying to devise a game plan for Niall’s meeting with Harry.

Lunch came much faster than Niall had hoped it would. Standing outside, he took a calming breath and attempted to shake his nerves out before opening the door and stepping inside. Greeting Harry with a grin he said, “Hi.”

“Hi.” Harry drawled with a fake smile.

“You wanted to see me,” Niall spoke up after beat, “And I think I know what it's about.”

“Really? You sussed it out, huh?” Harry’s voice raised a bit and Niall hastily shut the door to her office before he could continue, “Let me tell you something Niall, you're a  
smart guy. But if you can figure it out, and I can figure it out, what makes you think that no one in my Press Room can figure it out?”

“There's nothing to figure out.” Niall took a step closer to Harry.

“You can't spend time with a call girl,” Harry sighed, “you're gonna get caught.”

“Caught doing what?” Niall shot back, confusion filling his eyes.

“Don't get cute with me.” Harry pointed a finger at him and stood up.

“You are aware that I didn't know she was a call girl when I went home with her, right?” Niall replied, a little offended that Harry, and everyone else, was ignoring that fact.

“But you called her again and went back to see her.” Harry shot back, not even waiting for Niall to finish talking.

“I went back to see her,” Niall nodded before adding, “I didn't go back to solicit her.”

“It doesn't make a difference.” Harry replied, eyes flashing dangerously, desperately trying to get Niall to look at it the way the press would.

“It does make a difference.” Niall insisted earnestly.

“You work in the White House, you work fifty feet from the Oval Office. And you're consorting with a…” Harry tried to explain calmly.

“Consorting?” Niall scoffed as he interrupted Harry, “I'm friendly with a woman, I like this woman. This woman poses no threat to the President. And it's very likely that owing to my friendship, this woman may start living her life in bound, insuring for herself a greater future and isn't that exactly what we're supposed to be doing here?”

“Oh.” Harry replied condescendingly.

“Harry,” Niall sighed, trying to stop him before he could continue.

“You're there to make her see the error of her ways.” Harry drawled, nodding his head.

“This is ridiculous.” Niall replied, “I'm there because I like her. I'm there because it's where I'd be if this were alcohol or drugs. I'm not sleeping with her, this isn't tawdry.”

“I don't care what it is,” Harry fired back, “I care what it looks like.”  
“And I care what it is!” Niall yelled, stepping closer to Harry, “And I think it's high time we all spend a little less time looking good, and a little more time…”

“Being good?” Harry supplied.

Niall nodded, “Yes.”

“Yeah, I've heard that one before,” Harry pressed on, “and one other thing.”

“Are we done?” Niall interrupted and stepped toward the door

“No, Niall,” Harry fired back, walking toward the Alpha, “when I say there's 'one other thing' that means we're not done, that there's one other thing.”

“I'm resenting the hell out of this conversation.” Niall muttered under his breath.

“It was tough to tell from your tone of voice.” Harry rolled his eyes.

“What do you want?” Niall growled in annoyance.

“I beg your pardon?” Harry raised his eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest.

“What's the one other thing?” Niall amended, turning to face Harry.

“I'm your first phone call.” Harry replied simply.

“When?” Niall’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“Before, now, in the future, anytime you're into something and you don't know what.” Harry responded, pushing on before Niall could respond, “And you can't tell me that you thought there was nothing to it, because you sat down with Louis and you sat down with Liam. Anytime you're into something and you don't know what, you don't keep it from me. I'm your first phone call. I'm your first line of defense. You have to let me protect you and you have to let me protect the President.”

“Is that what this is about?” Niall’s voice had a condescending edge to it.

Harry took a deep breath, trying to calm himself as he replied slowly, “What this is about, Niall, is you're a high profile, very visible, much noticed member…”

“You just said three things that all mean the same thing.” Niall interrupted.

“You're not going to let this out of your teeth.” Harry pressed on.

“Can I go now Harry?” Niall asked impatiently, “Because what I think this is about is you. Once again letting the character cops win in a forfeit because you don't have the guts or the strength or the courage to say 'we know what's right from wrong and this none of your damn business’!”

“Really?” Harry asked, taken aback.

“Yes!” Niall exclaimed.

“Strength, guts or courage?” Harry prompted, disbelief evident in his voice.

“Yes.” Niall nodded.

“You just said three things that all mean the same thing,” Harry replied softly, sitting back down and trying not to show the hurt Niall’s little speech caused.

“Harry…” Niall sighed, taking a step toward the desk. 

“We're done talking now.” Harry looked back at his laptop. Noticing that Niall had not moved, he said, “You can go.”

Sam stood there for a moment, opening his mouth to say something but thought better of it and left the office.

 

Harry remained in his office until the time for the next press briefing, where he was able to give more details on the upcoming vacation the First Family would be talking and was able to confirm that the Congressman Wyatt would be resigning as committee chair, putting Congressman Liddy in charge of Ways and Means.

Niall was waiting for Harry after the briefing, meeting him outside the Press Room and following him down the hall, “Harry, listen.”

“What?” Harry responded curtly, not looking at Niall.

“I'm sorry about before.” Niall pressed on.

“Yeah?” Harry replied, still not looking up.

“I'm just really very fond of her is all.” Niall continued, trying to defend his actions.

“Go back to work.” Harry responded, entering his office and shutting the door in Niall’s face.

 

Harry was working on notes for the morning press briefing the next day, when there was a knock on her office door frame.

“What?” Harry replied shortly, expecting it to be Niall attempting to apologize again or Louis or Liam attempting to negotiate a peace.

“Not for nothing, but I know Niall Horan's been going around with a three thousand dollar a night call girl. And I thought you should know that I know.” Nick Grimshaw, one of the Press Corps members, said from the doorway causing Harry to look up. After a beat, he said, “Ask me inside, Harry.”

“Inside.” Harry demanded, standing up and shutting the door before returning to his desk.

“I obviously don't have enough for a story, but as a courtesy to you, Harry, I just wanted to let you know I'm gonna be asking around.” Nick responded, sitting down across from Harry.

“Danny, it's gonna be much ado about nothing.” Harry sighed, leaning forward in his chair.

“It doesn't look that way.” Nick replied, mirroring Harry position.

“But it is that way,” Harry sighed, “and I just got through telling you it's that way.”

“Harry…” Nick sighed, trying to get a word in.

“Niall knows the difference between right and wrong and so do you,” Harry fired back, standing up and walking around his desk, “Would it make my life easier if he wasn't friends with this woman? Absolutely. But Niall is a grown up and I don't get to choose his friends and your readers don't get to judge them. And I'll tell you what else, there's something commendable about Niall's behavior here, don't ask me what but there is, and I'm stickin' by him until the President orders me otherwise and I'm going to look very unfavorably on those who seek only to make us look like fools.”

“Whoa,” Nick huffed out a laugh, “Down boy. I'll drop it.”

“Good.” Harry nodded, shoulders still tensed up.

“I'll drop it.” Nick repeated, all joking out of his voice.

“Thank you.” Harry sighed, returning to his chair and relaxing into it.

“But, Harry, you better get D'ed up here.” Nick pressed on warningly, “Because not everyone's a good guy and you're gonna start to get traction on something that not everyone's a fan of and they're gonna put a tail on Horan, if they haven't already. Remember, I found out about this somehow and I wasn't there.”

“I don't suppose you'd tell me…” Harry tried in vain.

“No way.” Nick shook his head, not taking offense because he knew Harry needed to try and ask that question, “My point is, they'll keep it in their pocket until the eve of something big. Bill signing, State of the Union, maybe the convention.”

“I’ll take care of it.” Harry nodded, “Thank you, Nick.”

“And no chance that you’ll go out with me?” Nick asked hopefully, also knowing it would be in vain.

“None.” Harry smiled before scribbling down a lead on one of the stories that he knew Nick had been trying to work on, “But I will give you a head start on something.”

Nick nodded and took the piece of paper Harry held out and left the room. Harry let out a sigh of relief and relaxed fully in his chair before tensing up again when Louis, Liam, and Niall entered the office.

“What?” He asked shortly, packing what he would need to continue to review into his satchel.

“Look,” Liam stepped forward, “we’re sorry we kept you out of the loop and we’re sorry that we may have lost our tempers with you. You’re the first defense for not just the President, but for us as well.”

“Thank you.” Harry nodded.

“And we’re sorry if we sometimes talk down to you.” Louis stepped forward, “As everyone has seen in the past, none of us can do what you do. Liam gets hostile, I get too  
sarcastic and misquoted, and Niall rambles too much and ends up off topic. You are flawless and you manage to control the room and demand the respect of the Press Corps, who all get fidgety and worried if any of us go too close to the Press Room.”

“Well,” Harry finally looked up with a small smile, “you guys have all called them stupid on multiple occasions, Niall even threatening to build a facility mile away for them after the last briefing he had to do.”

“They were just mad because wasn’t answering the question they wanted me to.” Niall huffed. Looking over at Harry, he sighed, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have treated you the way I did.”

“I accept.” Harry nodded, “But if you EVER speak to me that way again, I will go right to Stephan and he will not be nearly as kind to you as I was.”

“You were kind?!” Niall exclaimed, eyes wide, “That was kind!? Thank God you weren’t angry!”

Harry gave a light glare before ushering them out of the office and locking the door behind the group.

“So, about that date…”Louis turned to Harry, “A little dinner, a little wine…”

“Not going to happen, Louis.” Harry responded.

“I’ll wear you down eventually!” Louis crowed.

“Louis, neither of us have time for a relationship right now.” Harry replied, “Not while President Cordon is in office.”

“So, we have a date set for January 20th, seven years down the road?” Louis grinned, “Or, you know, three if we get creamed during re-election.”

Harry just shot a smile over his shoulder and walked over to his car, smiling to himself as he felt Louis’ eyes following his every move.


End file.
